Sex abuse should be handled by police

We are a nation of laws. Equal justice under the law is our finest accomplishment. That’s why Justice wears a blindfold, it shouldn’t make any difference who you are. There is a disturbing trend in the nation that some groups should be allowed to have and enforce their own laws. In New Jersey for many years cases of child abuse have been handled internally by Otrhodox Jews in Lakewood. My colleagues at The Asbury Park Press reports a father who went to law enforcement about the possible abuse of his 11-year-old son has been accused of a “terrible deed.” Nine Lakewood rabbis signed a proclamation instructing people to bring allegations of abuse to a rabbinical tribunal before going to authorities. Child abuse is far too serious not to be reported to authorities. Children, their families and those who are accused deserve to have equal treatment under the law of the land.

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About Bob Ingle

Bob Ingle is Senior Political Columnist for Gannett New Jersey newspapers and co-author of The New York Times' Best Seller, "The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption" and "Chris Christie: The Inside Story Of His Rise To Power". He has won numerous journalism awards and is often a news analyst on radio and television. Twitter @ bobingle99.

8 Responses to Sex abuse should be handled by police

Its pretty simple.
They’re breaking the law, and getting a pass.
They just filter accusations out, keep outsiders from getting into their business.

They had a case in Ocean Township in Monmouth, where one of the rabbis was accused on beating on the kids a bit too much, and they rotated the guy down from NY to the yeshiva in OT.

Theres a lot of rotten things going on in Ocean County.
This is one of them.
I believe the State Senator from Ocean, Robert Singer, is also a councilman in Lakewood.
Maybe someone should ask him, but no one ever does…..

Going to any tribunal might have worked 100 years ago when people rarly ventured out of their town and police practically didn’t exist – but not today.

I’m constantly disappointed of all religious leaders who want to keep such serious crimes “in house” instead of taking care of it properly. They also punish those who seek justice from the proper authorities.

These rabbis need to be ashamed since in the Jewish religion, these type of crimes are considered to be very serious.

I basically agree with Mr. Ingle, however, one need only remember the McMartin case to know that these accusations are sometimes baseless. And how can you ever repair the damage done to the accused? I have little faith in their “tribunals” but if they have a way to weed out the false positives and then turn over the ostensibly guilty to police and the justice system, that would be better.

The self-imposed segregation of the Orthodox is a problem to any community. A tribunal of Rabbis is not equipped or authorized to handle felony violent crimes such as child abuse. Do they have prisons, psychological testing facilities, treatment facilities. It’s one thing to handle a small civil dispute between their members. Just as we will not accept Sharia Law we cannot accept Orthodox Law. The Rabbi’s who chastised this father for reporting the abuse of his son and told their flock to avoid going to the authorities are violating the law. Their distrust of civil authority in this day and age is foolish. They simply want to maintain the cult like control they have over their people. If the authorities find them handling a felony case, they should arrest the Rabbis for obstruction of justice. That’ll put an end to this nonsense.

The Orthodox will only work within our system when it comes to things like Section 8 housing, food stamps and other entitlements.

BYW, Bobby Singer will never, never get involved in their business, except as they need him.

He will have a pension based upon his position in Lakewood, as as former Assemblyman, and now as a State Senator, and he’s not ready to retire yet. Watch when he does retire though, he’ll get out of town in a heartbeat. Bobby ain’t no dummy you know.

Any priest, pastor, Bishop or Rabbi is not above the civil law of the land. When they use religion or their status to impose abuse, harm or intimidation upon defenseless women and children, it is a crime. G-d does not excuse them, or protect them.
The laws of the government hold them accountable to the courts and to the honor of their professions. The only shame is that they choose to dishonor G-d, their community, and the trust of innocent victims. If they do not accept civil law, they are not living according to a higher law and are only embarrassed that they were exposed!

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Bob Ingle, Senior Political Columnist for Gannett New Jersey newspapers, on politics in "The Soprano State".

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Bob IngleBob Ingle is Senior Political Columnist for Gannett New Jersey Newspapers and co-author of The New York Times' Best Seller, "The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption." Hear him Fridays at 5 p.m. on www.tommygshow.com radio. twitter.com/bobingle99 E-mail Bob

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"Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power," written by Bob Ingle and Michael Symons, offers the first inside portrait of New Jersey’s governor, who in two years as governor emerged as a national Republican Party figure famous for his blunt public statements. The book details Christie’s combative public persona and deep family roots, tracing his improbable political rise from a bruising stint in county government to his anti-corruption crusade as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power goes behind the scenes to reveal his family life, his public life, and what the future might hold..

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"The Soprano State," written by Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure, details the you-couldn't-make-this-up true story of the corruption that has pervaded New Jersey politics, government, and business for the past thirty years. From Jimmy Hoffa purportedly being buried somewhere beneath the end zone in Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands, through allegations of a thoroughly corrupt medical and dental university, through Mafia influence at all levels, to a governor who suddenly declares himself a “gay American” and resigns, the Garden State might indeed be better named after the HBO mobsters.

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